Closing Element

ABSTRACT

A closure element for bottles includes a stopper that engages in the mouth of a bottle, a head having a larger outside diameter than the stopper, a sealing element arranged in a transition region between stopper and head. The sealing element has a first sealing region which bears against the stopper and comprises at least one outwardly pointing sealing bead. The first sealing region has at least one outwardly pointing projection or at least one annular bead which is arranged at a distance from the annular sealing bead and on that side of the sealing bead which faces away from the head. The projection or at least one annular bead has at least one cutout introduced into the circumferential surface of the bead.

The invention relates to a closure element for bottles according to the preamble of claim 1.

Closure elements of the type discussed here are known. They are used in particular in bottles with high-quality contents, in particular bottles made of glass. In order to ensure leakproof sealing of the contents of the bottles, a sealing element is provided. After closure at the manufacturer's, closure elements of the type discussed here are generally secured, for example, by means of a plastic or aluminum cap which holds the closure element on the bottle. After opening for the first time, i.e. also after removal of the cap, the closure element is held by means of the friction prevailing between sealing element and bottle. If there is an increase in pressure in the interior of the bottle, the closure element may therefore be pushed out of the mouth region of the bottle until it loses its hold and possibly drops off entirely.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a closure element for bottles which does not have this disadvantage.

To achieve this object, a closure element is proposed which shows the features mentioned in claim 1. It has a stopper engaging in the mouth of the drinks bottle and a head with an outside diameter which is larger than that of the stopper. A sealing element which is arranged in the transition region between stopper and head has a first sealing region which bears against the stopper. The interior of the drinks bottle is sealed by at least one outwardly pointing sealing bead which is provided in the first sealing region. The closure element is distinguished in that at least one outwardly projecting projection, preferably an annular bead, which has at least one recess introduced into the circumferential surface of the bead, is provided on that side of the first sealing region which faces away from the head.

By this means, additional holding forces are built up between closure element and bottle. If there is a positive pressure in the bottle, the closure element is pushed somewhat out of the mouth of the bottle, namely until the sealing bead acting as the seal is pushed out of the mouth of the bottle until it no longer seals the interior thereof and the positive pressure can escape. The internal pressure can escape from the bottle by means of the at least one projection situated at a distance from the sealing bead or by means of the cutout in the annular bead. At the same time, it is ensured that the closure element still finds a sufficient degree of hold on the bottle and cannot fall out of the mouth.

Further refinements emerge from the subclaims.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. The single FIGURE shows a schematic diagram of a closure element in side view of a sealing element in longitudinal section.

The closure element 1 illustrated has a stopper 3 which can be inserted into the mouth of a bottle. The stopper is adjoined by a head 5, the outside diameter of which is larger than that of the stopper 3. It may be provided, for example, that the outside diameter of the head 5 essentially corresponds to that of the bottle in the mouth region, so that the bottle as it were merges into the closure element. Stopper 3 and head 5 are preferably formed in a single piece.

A sealing element 7 is provided in the transition region between stopper 3 and head 5, the sealing element having at least one first sealing region 9 bearing against the stopper 3. Preferably, as illustrated in the FIGURE, a second sealing region 11 is provided which adjoins the first sealing region and bears against the head 5 from below.

A sealing bead 13 which seals off the interior of a bottle from the surroundings is provided here on the outer side of the first sealing region 9, which side faces away from the stopper 3. It is possible to provide a plurality of sealing beads of this type one above another, i.e. at a distance from one another. An annular bead 15 is provided here on that side of the sealing bead 13 which faces away from the head 5, said annular bead having, in its circumferential surface, at least one recess which does not seal off the interior of the bottle from the sealing bead 13, i.e. constitutes a passage. Pressure acting in the interior of the bottle can therefore furthermore act on the sealing bead 13.

Instead of the bead 15, at least one projection, preferably a number of projections, can also be provided, the projections being arranged at a distance from one another on an imaginary circumferential line and not pressure-tightly sealing the interior of the bottle from the sealing bead 13.

An inner bead 17 is provided on that side of the first sealing region 9 which faces the stopper 3, the inner bead being provided in the lower region of the sealing bead 13 but, as seen in the direction of the center axis 19 of the closure element 1, having a smaller extent and a lower height. The inner bead 17 serves as a support for the sealing bead 13 and as a means of holding the sealing element 7 on the stopper 3.

In addition, an inner bead can likewise be provided in the region of the bead 15 or of the at least one projection provided here. Dimensions and number of the at least one inner bead 17 can be adapted to different applications.

On the lower side of the second sea ling region 11, which side faces away from the head 5, at least one annular bead 21 running concentrically with respect to the center axis 19 is provided. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, two annular beads 21 and 23 arranged concentrically with respect to each other are illustrated. These may serve as an additional seal but also in order to cushion an impact on the closure element 1 in a resilient manner while said closure element is placed onto a bottle and is supported with the annular beads 21, 23 on the wall region of the bottle that surrounds the mouth.

The following is to be emphasized with regard to the function of the closure element 1:

For the closure of a bottle, the closure element 1 is placed onto a bottle, so that the stopper 3 engages in the mouth of the same and the head 5 is supported on the wall region of the bottle that surrounds the mouth. The sealing element 7 serves to seal the interior of the bottle in a leakproof manner, with at least one first sealing region 9 providing sealing in the region of the stopper 3. In addition, a second sealing region 11 may also be provided. The sealing element 7 is preferably formed in a single piece, so that the first sealing region 9 merges into the second sealing region 11. The first sealing region 9 is of substantially cylindrical or slightly conical design and is situated concentrically with respect to the center axis 19. The second sealing region 11 is situated in a plane to which the center axis 19 is perpendicular.

The sealing bead 13 provides the leakproof sealing of the interior of the bottle. It generally also supplies sufficient holding forces in order to hold the closure element 1 on a bottle. Additional holding forces are built up by the at least one projection arranged, as seen from the head 5, below the sealing bead 13, or by the bead 15. It is essential that here, however, a sealing of the interior of the bottle is not provided, so that a pressure building up here acts as far as the sealing bead 13.

If, therefore, a pressure builds up in the interior of the bottle, the stopper 3 is pressed somewhat out of the mouth of the same, to be precise, until the positive pressure can escape past the sealing bead 13. In this position, the closure element 1 still finds a sufficient degree of hold in the mouth of a bottle because at least one projection, preferably the bead 15, is still provided below the sealing bead 13. Since said bead is provided with at least one recess, the internal pressure in the bottle can escape here, with the result that further axial displacement of the closure element 1 out of the bottle does not take place.

While, in the originally closed state, the head 5 of the closure element 1 rests virtually entirely on the wall of a bottle that surrounds the mouth, namely at a distance predetermined by the second sealing element 11, the closure element is situated, after dissipation of an increased internal pressure in the interior, in a position in which the distance between the head 5 and the bottle is increased. Just by this, a consumer can recognize that the closure element has been displaced by internal pressure in the bottle. This displacement could be used, in the case of non-gaseous contents, as an indication that the contents are spoiled and fermented.

The closure element 1 is preferably composed entirely of glass, so that it does not impair the contents in the bottle in terms of taste. It would suffice merely to produce the stopper from glass, at least the regions which come into contact with the contents of the bottle. However, the closure element 1 may also be composed of metal, ceramic or of a plastic which does not impair the contents of the bottle in terms of taste. Correspondingly, a plastic is selected for the sealing element 7 that, on the one hand, is sufficiently elastic in order to ensure that the interior of the bottle is sealed off but, on the other hand, supplies the closure element 1 with a sufficient degree of hold on the bottle and likewise does not impair the contents in terms of taste.

It is furthermore possible to produce the closure element 1 from glass, metal or ceramic and to provide it with a plastic coating which realizes the sealing element 7 and has an outer contour as provided for the sealing element 7.

The functional principle of the closure element 1 makes it clear that the sealing element 7 has at least one sealing bead 13 sealing off the interior of a bottle, and, in addition, also a holding region which holds the closure element 1 securely on a bottle even after a displacement of the same in the direction of the center axis 19. In order to ensure this function, at least one projection which can hold the closure element 1 in the mouth region of a bottle is provided below the sealing bead 13, i.e. on the side facing away from the head 5. However, a plurality of projections, but, in particular, an encircling bead 15 with at least one recess, are preferably provided, said bead providing the closure element 1 with a secure hold in the mouth of a bottle even if the closure element 1 has been displaced somewhat in the direction of the center axis 19. 

1. A closure element for a bottle comprising: a stopper engaging in a mouth of the bottle, the stopper having a head having a larger outside diameter than a diameter of the stopper; a sealing element arranged in a transition region between the stopper and the head, the sealing element having a first sealing region which bears against the stopper and comprises at least one outwardly pointing sealing bead, the first sealing region having at least one outwardly pointing projection or at least one annular bead which is arranged at a distance from the sealing bead on that side of the sealing bead which faces away from the head, the annular bead having at least one cutout introduced into the a circumferential surface of the annular bead; and the first sealing region has at least one projection, on an inner side thereof which faces the stopper.
 2. The closure element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing element has a second sealing region which bears against the head and which adjoins the first sealing region.
 3. The closure element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing element is in a single piece.
 4. The closure element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one projection comprises an inner bead on the sealing element and located further from the head than the sealing bead and nearer to the head than the annular bead.
 5. The closure element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing element is composed of plastic.
 6. The closure element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper is composed of glass.
 7. The closure element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stopper is composed of at least one of metal, ceramic and plastic.
 8. The closure element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one projection is an inner bead. 